Introduction

I concluded my last sermon by saying revival starts with you and me.  If you don’t believe my words read the book of Jonah and you will see that God indeed used an ordinary human being to bring the extremely sinful Ninevites to repent that in turn lead to a spiritual revival in the capital of Assyria. His name was Jonah and he was God’s instrument of revival in Nineveh. Today in the order of Jonah I want to share how you could become an instrument of revival in God’s hands.

1. Availability

A. The cruelty of Assyrians was one of the reasons (if not the main) why Jonah refused to go to Nineveh, (Jonah 1:3).

B. They were renowned for barbaric acts such as cutting the enemy in two and hanging at the city gates, slashing the bellies of pregnant women, and ripping the fetuses off.

C. We can’t become instruments of revival unless we unconditionally make ourselves available for God’s service.

2. Repentance

A. Jonah was unfaithful to his calling. He sailed towards Tarshish in the opposite direction of Nineveh.

B. Yet God didn’t abandon Jonah. God gave him a second chance, to which Jonah obeyed and 120,000 souls were saved, (Jonah 2:1-10).

C. This is your second chance if you have been dodging God’s call for service. Repent and ask for forgiveness. God will definitely use you for his glory.

3. Proclaim

A. Jonah began proclaiming God’s judgment against Nineveh by going on a day’s journey into the city and people responded, (Jonah 3:1-9).

B. Proclamation of Gospel is essential for revival because revival occurs only when people respond to Gospel in repentance, (Romans 10:14)

C. It’s a risky task, (Matthew 10:16). But we need to start somewhere. Remember, revival isn’t free or cheap.

4. Compassion

A. Jonah lacked compassion. He was more concerned about the fulfillment of the prophecy than the salvation of the Ninevites, (Jonah 4:5).

B. Compassion is the core of the Gospel because God is compassionate for the lost, (Jonah 3:10; Jonah 4:11).

C. Compassion is the most important quality of a Christian, without its availability, repentance and proclamation are hard to come by.

Conclusion

“God’s method is a man and you can be that man!” (Dr. Colton Wickramaratne). I want to be that man. What about you?

If you found this content helpful, I kindly ask you to leave your feedback in the comments section below. Sharing it with your friends and family through email or social media would also be greatly appreciated. Your feedback not only encourages me but also contributes to the growth and edification of the Church. In order to promote meaningful and respectful dialogue, I request that you use your full name when commenting. Please note that any comments containing profanity, name-calling, or a disrespectful tone will be deleted. Thank you for your understanding and participation.